Danie van der Merwe

5 reasons to use AMD in your next gaming PC

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:47:31 +0100

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

AMD is already quite well known for their really easy overclocking, and their better price point for what you get.

My current PC build has had an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU in it for the last 3 years or so, and running with Manjaro Linux as OS, it has been running flawlessly. This is my first AMD CPU, as I'd always been buying Intel since I moved off the Amiga. I've not run into any compatibility issues whatsoever, and I do also play quite a few Steam Games as well.

Sadly, when I did the last PC upgrade, I stuck to buying another Nvidia GPU. I just did not seriously do a proper comparison of alternatives. Next time however I'm going to do a thorough comparison give AMD a serious consideration for my next GPU card.

The only issue I've been experiencing with testing out Wayland on Linux, is some random freezes for about 40+ seconds. I get something similar with the X display, but it is exclusively limited to when the compositor gets accessed, which is only really during screenshots. Supposedly this relates to the Nvidia card on Linux (not the AMD CPU), although I'm using the Nvidia proprietary drivers. When I get time, I should actually try a different GPU, or the open source drivers, and pinpoint this issue.

The linked article though does whet my appetite a bit again for getting an AMD GPU. In today's world, full of innovation and improvement, we should be seriously considering good alternatives, and not just sticking to the one thing we know out of habit. Change is what sparks and rewards innovation, and helps cultivate a healthy market ecosystem. The days of one single company resting on their laurels, should be over.

See 5 reasons to use AMD in your next gaming PC

Are you looking to buy or build a new gaming PC? Consider using AMD for great performance and even better prices!

#technology #AMD #competition #gaming

technology AMD competition gaming

Young Typewriter repairman is in high demand for this retro technology today

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:52:59 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Lucas started repairing typewriters about ten years ago, at the age of 14. That’s when he found a 1930s Royal No. 10 and taught himself how to fix it. Eventually, he realized there was a need for his services outside of family and friends’ machines.

Dul is more than a fixer. He’s a romantic. A purist. A crusader of sorts — an island in a digital ocean.

“It’s also about ultimate control,” says Dul, who cherishes his time alone in his workshop. “You are not being told what to do by any operating system. You don’t have to worry about spellcheck or making errors. It’s a process that’s completely in your hands and organic.”

Maybe he's summed up what is wrong with today's world! Too much connectivity 24/7 (we require laws now in France and Australia to prohibit bosses sending e-mails after hours to workers) and too many notifications. Typewriters had stopped being used for general use a good 20 years before Lucas was even born.

It's no wonder that Lucas has writers sending typewriters to him for repairs. What better way to concentrate, get on with the job, and not worry about recharging batteries, than to use a typewriter.

Artists, writers, collectors — all still want typewriters, he says.

Possibly, like vinyl records and CDs, we're going to see more uptake of older technology.

See Keebin’ With Kristina: The One With The 200% Typewriter

You know, the really sad truth about cyberdecks and cyberdeck-adjacent builds is that many of them just end up on the shelf, collecting dust while waiting for the dystopian future. Well, not this o…

#technology #typewriters #retro

technology retro typewriters

10 mistakes you should not make when building a new PC for the first time

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:30:10 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Buying a ready-made PC is full of compromises. I've always built my own PC's ever since I moved from an Amiga to using DR-DOS. It's one way of ensuring you get all the components you really want, and you can easily swap out upgraded parts as well.

In the later days, if you did not want to pay for Windows, you had to build your own PC with hard drives you sourced.

The linked post has some practical tips to consider. The power supply section is especially important. A quality PSU will not only give you many years of use, but can help prevent freezes etc. Here in South Africa, we have constant load shedding, and what I've noticed is my PC has no issue with the 20ms switch-over to back up power, whilst my wife's PC shuts off. The difference is her PC sits with my older cheap PSU in it still. The PSU is actually the last line of defence between any grid power issues and your expensive motherboard, CPU, RAM and storage. Buy well once and get many years of trouble-free use out of it.

See 10 mistakes you should not make when building a new PC for the first time

Look out for these common mistakes before you start working on your new PC

#technology #hardware

technology hardware

How to keep your home network secure: Smart tricks and settings

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 22:19:59 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Network security is not just for IT professionals. Even home users need to keep their networks secure to prevent unauthorized people from, for example, hogging their broadband, installing malware that turns connected devices into robots in botnets, and spying on what you and your family are doing.

In the past, the internal network was often considered safe and protection against threats from the internet was the most important thing, but today security experts recommend using encrypted connections as much as possible even within the local network.

It may seem complicated, but with basic knowledge and the right settings in your router, you’ll go a long way.

These are actually all very basic and essential considerations, and are well worth revisiting. I realised I'm not actually using the SNMP management on my router, but I'd left it enabled. Disable those types of services if you don't use them, and rather enable logins etc only from your LAN.

See How to keep your home network secure: Smart tricks and settings

Keep the hackers away and protect your other gadgets if any device suffers a breach or malware.

#technology #security #routers

technology routers security

Can’t decide between Bluesky, Mastodon and Nostr? Nootti’s new app lets you post to all three

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 18:03:38 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Managing a social presence these days can be tough. It’s even tougher for those who are experimenting with the new wave of Twitter-like services, like Mastodon, Nostr and Bluesky, where staying active means a lot of duplicate posts to different networks. Thankfully, developers are starting to address our needs for cross-posting tools. In addition to scheduling services like Fedica and Postpone, there’s now a new app, Nootti, that allows you to post to Mastodon, Nostr and Bluesky from one interface.

What makes Nootti compelling is that you can easily customize each post slightly for the different platforms. To do so, you first type your post in the “Main” tab, then switch over to the tabs for the other social networks. The post will be automatically filled in on each tab, but you can edit the message for the individual networks.

Which is all great, but it is only an iOS app, and there is no mention of a coming Android version at all. The Tapestry app should be coming still (no posting, and also iOS only), but I'm thinking we will see more of these integrated social network platform apps.

See Can't decide between Bluesky, Mastodon and Nostr? Nootti's new app lets you post to all three. | TechCrunch

Managing a social presence these days can be tough. It's even tougher for those who are experimenting with the new wave of Twitter-like services, like

#technology #Mastodon #Nostr #Bluesky

technology Nostr Bluesky Mastodon

3 concept PC parts that you may want in your next gaming PC

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:07:18 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Say goodbye to visible cables – Concept PC parts from MSI, Asus, and Gigabyte eliminate cables by routing connectors to the rear of the motherboard.

Motherboards leading the way – MSI's "Project Zero" motherboards and Gigabyte's "Project Stealth" line already offer rear-connected motherboards, perfect for clean builds.

Graphics cards follow suit – Some new graphics card designs, like Gigabyte's "Project Stealth," draw power directly from the motherboard, eliminating the need for visible power cables.

So, yes, most of it is around cables, but cables are the messiest part of most PC builds today. It really does make sense for a complete rethink around cabling and cases.

See 3 concept PC parts that I want in my next gaming PC

PC building can sometimes get stale. But with these concept PC parts, things could be about to get exciting

#technology #hardware

technology hardware

Ethernet for Hackers: The very Basics

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 10:37:05 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

The linked article is an excellent primer around Ethernet in the modern era.

The only thing I could add on the basics side, is why Ethernet is actually a twisted pair of cables. The twist alleviates the possibility of EMI (electromagnetic interference) inference by ensuring there is no long, straight lengths of wire that would act as an antenna. Twisting the pairs causes the electromagnetic fields generated by each wire to partially cancel each other out, significantly reducing the overall interference picked up by the cable. This is known as common-mode rejection.

Twisting also helps eliminate crosstalk, which occurs when the signal from one wire leaks into another pair in the same cable. This can also corrupt the data signal and lead to errors. Twisting the pairs helps to keep the magnetic fields of each wire contained, reducing the amount of crosstalk between them.

See Ethernet For Hackers: The Very Basics

Ethernet is ubiquitous, fast, and simple. You only need two diffpairs (four wires) to establish a 100Mbit link, the hardware is everywhere, you can do Ethernet over long distances easily, and tons …

#technology #Ethernet

technology Ethernet

The US government makes a $42 million bet on 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) cell networks

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 21:57:29 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

The US government has committed $42 million to further the development of the 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) standard that would allow wireless providers to mix and match cellular hardware and software, opening up a bigger market for third-party equipment that’s cheaper and interoperable.

O-RAN is about establishing interoperability which means companies like Verizon and AT&T wouldn’t be forced to buy all of their hardware from a single company to create a functional network. For the rest of us, that means faster build-outs and “more agile networks,” according to Rakuten.

Well, this is news to me, as I always thought a standard like 5G was an open standard and interoperable between "brands". A mobile phone has to connect to a 5G network with provider A, and then also when roaming with provider B or C. This is at least true for the client side.

I get that if you want to mesh some Wi-Fi devices in your home, invariably that is normally only achieved with the same brand. So maybe the backhaul part of the 5G network is the same brand that connects with the same brand as well.

Clearly, then, being able to mix and match would dramatically change the ability to innovate and roll out a lot quicker. The same would be even more true for when the provider wants to switch brands going forward, as there is zero vendor lock in.

Which then leads me to ask, so why can't we mix and match mesh networking with home routers too? The benefit would be even greater for us cash strapped consumers.

See The US government makes a $42 million bet on open cell networks

Open RAN gets a boost to fight Huawei’s global cellular lead.

#technology #interoperability #5G

technology 5G interoperability

ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) and ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation): How are they different?

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 21:41:50 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

ANC helps create a quiet listening environment, perfect for those moments when you want to enjoy your music like an audiophile or listen to a podcast without the distraction of background noise. It works by detecting external sounds and then generating opposing sound waves to cancel them out. This means you can enjoy a more immersive listening experience, whether you're in a busy café, on a plane, or working in a noisy office.

On the other hand, ENC focuses on making sure your voice is heard clearly during voice calls. It uses an array of microphones to isolate your voice and minimize surrounding noise. This is incredibly useful for phone calls, video conferences, and voice recordings, ensuring that you're heard clearly by the person on the other end, even if you're in a loud environment.

So similar things they do, but for different purposes. Ideally, you'd actually want to have both of them. Many headsets do in fact do a form of ENC without stating it is actual ENC.

See ANC and ENC: How are they different?

ANC enhances listening by reducing noise; ENC improves call clarity by isolating voices

#technology #audio #ANC #ENC

technology audio

I did not realise you get rechargeable coin cell batteries such as for the CR2032

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 15:29:53 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

I've long been using various types of rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, including the 1.5 volt versions, but I've just never seen any mention at all about these button/coin cell 3.6V Li-Ion batteries being rechargeable.

It's said that there are rechargeable versions of the LIR2032, LIR2025, LIR2032H, LIR1632 and the LIR2016. I use various of these in AirTag trackers and some other devices.

Looking at a local electronic supplier, I see they do indeed stock rechargeable CR2032 batteries. They cost a bit over double the price of the single use battery, but if you can get a few charges out of them, it may be worth it.

A downside though that I see is the rechargeable battery has a stated capacity of 30mAH, whilst the single use version is 230mAH. A different site shows a capacity of 40mAH (plus or minus 5mAH) and the life cycle of over 500 recharges. Some batteries state as high as 70mAH.

So, certainly the capacity is a good 4x less. It means what used to last 12 months on a charge, would need recharging at least every 3 months with a rechargeable battery. Cost wise though, it is still going to be 100x cheaper (500 recharges divided by 4 as the same life as a single use battery), and that also means 100 batteries not being disposed of.

I'd certainly like to give these a try.